Baseball Fathers and Sons: The McCullers

Baseball Fathers and Sons:  The McCullers

 

With the May 2015 debut of Lance McCullers Jr., he and his father have joined the company of fathers and sons who have played in the Major leagues.  On May 18, the Astros recalled pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. as they reportedly needed to fill the fifth spot in their starting rotation until Brett Oberholtzer returned from the disabled list.  McCullers, Jr. is the son of Lance McCullers, who played seven seasons in the Major leagues as a relief pitcher, between 1985 and 1992, with the Padres, Yankees, Tigers, and Rangers.

 

Lance McCullers Jr.

 

2013 Bowman Chrome Prospects Lance McCullers Card #BCP200A

 

Lance McCullers Jr. was selected by the Astros in the 1st round (41st pick) of the 2012 amateur draft and signed with the Astros on June 18, 2012 for a bonus reported at $2.5 million.  Baseball America had McCullers rated as the Astros #4 prospect at the end of the 2012 season, the Astros #5 prospect at the end of the 2013 seasons, and at the conclusion of the 2014 season, he was rated as the Astros #11 prospect.  At the beginning of this season, Baseball America had McCullers rated as the Astros #9 prospect.   Baseball America's Top 100 Ranking of Major league prospects, rated McCullers #50 after the 2012 season and #77 at the end of the 2013 season. 

2014 Bowman Prospect Lance McCullers Card #TP36

 

In parts of four minor league seasons, McCullers has had a record of 12 wins and 16 losses with a 3.79 ERA with 304 strikeouts in 265.2 innings pitched.  Prior to has call up in May, McCullers was playing with Corpus Christi Hooks of the Texas League, the Astros' AA affiliate.  In 2015, he had pitched 29 innings in six games, starting four games with three wins and one loss and a 0.62 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched.

 

On May 18, McCullers Jr. made his Major league debut as the starting pitcher in the Astros' game against the A's.  He pitched 4.2 innings, gaining no decision, giving up five hits and one earned run while striking out five in the Astros 2 - 1 loss.  Since this May debut, McCullers has been a member of the Astros' rotation.  He has started six games with a record of three wins and one loss and a 2.00 ERA with 40 strikeouts. 

McCullers got his first Major league win on May 25 in the Astros 3 - 2 victory over the Tigers.  He pitched six innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs and striking out six.  During this victory over the Tigers, in the bottom of the 5th inning, Tigers' catcher James McCann lead off with a double and then went to third on Tiger shortstop Jose Igesias' single.  McCann scored the Tigers' second run of the game when centerfielder Anthony Gose was safe Astros' third baseman Jonathan Villar's throwing error.  The next batter up was second baseman Ian Kinsler, who grounded into a 4 to 3 to 2 triple play, which ended the inning with a 2 - 1 lead for the Tigers.  The Astros scored twice in the top of the 6th inning and then McCullers retired the Tigers in the bottom of the inning and left the game with a 3 - 2 lead.  Four Astro reliever held the Tigers scoreless for the remainder of the game, getting McCullers his first Major league victory.  

 

On June 3, in his fourth major league start, McCullers pitched a complete game in the Astros 3 - 1 victory over the Orioles.  He was aided by Astros' first baseman Chris Carter's two solo home runs, a second inning blast and a fifth inning homer.  In his complete game victory, McCullers gave one earned run and four hits while striking out 11 and improved his season record to 2 - 0.

 

Since his complete game victory, McCullers has remained in the Astros' rotation.   This past Sunday, June 14, in his six start of the season, McCullers pitched 5 innings in the Astros 13 - 0 victory over the Mariners.  McCullers did not give up any hits and struck out four to improve his season record to three wins and one loss.   

Father, Lance McCullers

 



Lance McCullers was drafted by the Phillies in the 2nd round, as the 41st pick of the 1982 amateur draft.  He signed with the Phillies on June 10, 1982.  He never appeared in a Major league game with them and he was traded to the Padres on September 20, 1983, as a player to be named later in a August 31 deal, from that same year, that sent Sixto Lezcano to the Phillies.   

Topps 1986 Lance McCullers Card #44

 

McCullers made his Major league debut, as a 21 year old, with the Padres on August 12, 1985.  McCullers pitched 2.2 innings in relief of Padres' starter Mark Thurmond in their 2 - 0 victory over the Reds.  McCullers earned a save in his first Major league appearance.  By his August 23rd appearance, McCullers had recorded four saves in the five games that he pitched in.  He had acquired the nickname "Baby Goose" after his Padre teammate and relief pitcher Rich "Goose" Gossage.

 

McCullers ended the 1985 season having pitched in 21 games with a record of no wins and two losses.  He had a 2.31 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched, and five saves.  McCullers played the next three seasons with the Padres.  In the 1986 season he pitched in 70 games for the Padres.  He had second most mound appearances for the team, behind only Craig Lefferts, who lead the National League in games pitched with 83.   McCullers five saves that season were the second highest total for the Padres, behind only Gosse Gossage's 21 saves.  

 

McCullers first Major league win came on April 15, 1986 in the Padres' 12 inning 2 - 1 victory over the Dodgers.  Against the Dodgers, he pitched three innings, and gave up only one hit and struck out three.  McCullers finished the 1986  season with ten wins and ten losses and a 2.78 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 136 innings pitched.  During the season, he also started seven games for the Padres.  His lone victory as a starter came on July 17 as the Padres defeated the Reds 2 - 1.  McCullers pitched seven innings and gave up four hits and one run and struck out four Reds.  

 

In the 1987 season, McCullers pitched in a career high, and Padre team high, 78 games.  Prior to the beginning of the season, a February trade sent Goose Gossage to the Cubs, and McCullers inherited the Padres' closer role.  In 1987, McCullers finished 9th in the National League with his 16 saves.  During this season, McCullers recorded eight wins and ten losses with a 3.72 ERA, and 126 strikeouts in 123.1 innings pitched. 

 

The 1988 season was McCullers final year with the Padres.  That year, he pitched in 60 games, the second highest total on the team trailing only Padres' closer Mark Davis' 62 appearances.  McCullers finished the season with three wins and six losses and a 2.49 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 97.2 innings pitched.  His ten saves finished him with the second highest total for the Padres, behind only Mark Davis and his 28 saves.

 

At the end of the 1988 season, McCullers was included in the trade that brought slugger Jack Clark to San Diego.  Then in the 1989 season, with the Yankees, he joined their bullpen that included closer Dave Righetti.  During this season, McCullers appeared in 52 games with a record of four wins and three losses and a 4.57 ERA.  He had three saves in 103 innings pitched with 82 strikeouts.  McCullers' strikeout total was second on the team, trailing only starter Andy Hawkins' 98 strikeouts, who pitched 208.1 innings. 

 

Bowman 1989 Lance McCullers Card #168

 

McCullers opened the 1990 season with the Yankees and pitched in 11 games with them prior to a trade that sent him to the Tigers.  On June 4, he was included in a trade with pitcher Clay Parker that brought catcher Matt Nokes to the Yankees.  He finished the year appearing in nine games with the Tigers.   For the season, McCullers had two wins, one win with the Yankees and one with the Tigers, with no losses and no saves.  He had a 3.02 ERA in 44.2 innings pitched with 31 strikeouts.

 

 

Donruss 1991 Lance McCullers Card #133

 

After the end of the 1990 season, McCullers was granted free agency.  He did not play in the 1991 season, but in February 1992, McCullers signed a contract with the Rangers.  He opened the season pitching with the Oklahoma City 89ers, the Rangers' AAA affiliate and a member of the Pacific Coast League.

 

His first appearance with the Rangers came on May 19 in the Rangers 8 - 7 win over the Indians.  McCullers pitched a three up three down 8th inning as the Rangers entered the top of the 9th inning trailing the Indians 7 to 5.  During that inning, Ruben Sierra hit a two-run home run that tied the score and Dean Palmer's single plated Kevin Reimer with the go ahead and winning run of the game in the Rangers' victory.  Rangers' reliever Jeff Russell, who himself will become a Major league father, pitched the 9th inning and saved McCullers' lone victory as a Ranger. 

 

McCullers pitched in four more games during the season with the Rangers.  His final appearance was on June 4, 1992 when he replaced Rangers' reliever Jeff Robinson in the 5th inning, with no outs and two runners on base.  McCullers walked three of the four batters he faced, retiring only Kirby Puckett on a fielder's choice.  Then on June 8, 1992, the Rangers released McCullers.  At age 28, had made his last major league appearance.

 

During his final Major league season, McCullers appeared in five games with the Rangers, winning once with no losses and a 5.40 ERA, pitching five innings with three strikeouts.  After his release by the Rangers, McCullers was signed by the Dodgers.  He finished the year pitching with the Albuquerque Dukes of the Pacific Coast League and the AAA affiliate of the Dodgers.  McCullers last season as a professional baseball player was in 1993 as he spent the season as a member of the Calgary Cannons, in the Pacific Coast League, the AAA affiliate of the Mariners.

 

Lance McCullers Sr. finished his Major league career with 306 appearances and a record of 28 wins and 31 losses and an ERA of 3.25, with 39 saves and 442 strikeouts in 526.1 innings pitched.       

Fred Gladding, Tiger & Astro Relief Pitcher - R.I.P.

The Baseball-Reference.com website In Memoriam lists that former Tiger & Astro relief pitcher Fred Gladding recently passed away.  Gladding played 13 seasons in the Major leagues.

 

While with the Tigers

 

Gladding made his Major league debut with the Tigers on July 1, 1961 when he pitched 2.1 innings in relief in the Tigers 11 - 8 victory over the Orioles.  The first batter Gladding faced, Jim Gentile, hit the second of his two home runs that game, a solo blast to lead off the 5th inning.  Gladding, a 25 year-old rookie then got his first major league victory on July 8, when he pitched an inning in relief in the Tigers 3 - 2 win over the Angels.  During the 1961 season, Gladding appeared in eight games,  and finished the year with a 1 - 0 record and a 3.31 ERA while pitching 16.1 innings.

 

In the 1962 season, Gladding pitched in six games, all in relief.  He didn't win or loss a games and had an ERA of 0.00 in five innings pitched.  Then in 1963, Gladding pitched 22 games, again all in relief, recording one win with one loss, and seven saves, pitching a total of 27.1 innings and a 1.98 ERA. 

 

His first baseball card was from the Topps 1964 set, a Rookie Stars issue he shared with Fritz Fisher. 

Topps 1967 Tigers Rookie Stars Card #312

Gladding continued to pitch with the Tigers through the end of the 1967 season.  During the four seasons between 1964 and 1967, Gladding appeared in 181 games, finishing with a record with 24 wins and 10 losses and 26 saves and a 2.78 ERA.  All but one of those appearances were in relief.  The lone start of his career came on August 2, 1967, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Orioles.  Gladding pitched five shutout innings, leaving the game with a 1 - 0 lead.  Pat Dobson replaced Gladding and Dobson was still on the mound in the bottom of the 9th inning, when Frank Robinson's lead off walk preceded Brooks Robinson's two-run game winning home run.

On November 22, 1967, Gladding was sent to the Astros to complete the August 17 trade from earlier in the year, that sent third baseman, Eddie Mathews to the Tigers.  In seven seasons with the Tigers, Gladding compiled a record of 26–11 and a 2.70 ERA in 217 games. His .703 winning percentage is the highest in the Tiger team history for any pitcher appearing in at least 200 games.

Astros' Ace

 

Topps 1968 Fred Gladding Card # 423

  

After missing almost the entire 1968 season, Gladding came back in 1969 to lead the National League in saves with 29, while finishing the season with a 4 - 8 record for the 5th place Astros.  On July 30, in a game against the Mets, Gladding entered it in the bottom of the 7th inning with the Astros leading 5 - 3.  In the top of the 9th inning, the Astros exploded for eleven runs, tying a major league record when they hit two grand slams home runs, as Dennis Menke and Jim Wynn each hit a four bagger.  This was a momentous inning for Gladding at the bat, too.  Gladding, who has the distinction of having the lowest non-zero lifetime batting average in major league history, with a career batting average of .016 (1 hit in 63 at bats), got his first and only career hit during the inning.  Gladding's two-out single plated Curt Blefary, for his first career RBI, and then he scored on Wynn's blast, for his only career run scored. 

 

In 1970, Gladding recorded 18 saves, going 7 - 4, while pitching in a career-high 63 games.  During the 1971 and 1972 seasons, he appeared in a total of 90 games, with a 9 - 11 record and 26 saves.  He retired midway through the 1973 season, after appearing in 16 games with two victories. 

 

Topps 1973 Fred Gladding Card #17

 

During his 13 major league seasons, Gladding pitched in 450 games, compiling a 48 - 34 record with a 3.13 ERA and 109 saves.  He ranks fourth all-time in saves among Astros pitcher, with 76, behind Billy Wagner, David Smith, and Brad Lidge.

 

Oriole Bonus Baby, Frank "Noodles" Zupo

Frank Zupo signed as a bonus baby with the Orioles in 1957.  I was looking through some of my Topps 1958 cards and I came across his card and saw that his birthday was August 29, 1939, so he would have played as a teenager during the 1957 season.

Topps 1958 Frank Zupo Card #229

 

Frank Zupo signed with the Baltimore Orioles on June 13, 1957, for a bonus reported at $30,000, but was actually $50,000.  Zupo had just graduated from Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco.  Prior to signing the contract with the Orioles, Zupo had been scouted by all 16 Major league teams and received offers from 13 teams.  He also had scholarship offers from Stanford and  University of California, to play baseball, but he choose to sign with the Orioles because he wanted to play baseball and didn't want to go to school.

 

Since Zupo was signed as a bonus baby, he immediately reported to the Orioles and was added to their Major league roster.  Upon has arrival, his teammates gave him the nickname "Noodles". 

 

Zupo made his Major league debut on July 1, 1957, as a 17 year-old, against the Yankees.  With the scored tied at 2, Zupo entered the game as a defensive replacement in the top of the 10th inning.  In that game, together with Oriole pitcher, George Zuverink, Zupo formed the first "Z" battery in Major league history.  In the top of that inning, batting with one out for the Yankees, Mickey Mantle homered to give the Yankees a 3 - 2 lead, the final score in the game.      

 

Zupo first Major league at bat came on July 6.  In the 7th inning, he pinch hit, against the Red Sox, batting for Orioles reliever Billy O'Dell.  He grounded to first base off Red Sox starter, Frank Sullivan, in the Orioles 11 - 2 loss.  Then on August 11, when making an appearance in his fourth game, Zupo got his first major league hit, in the Orioles 7 - 2 loss to the Yankees.  After entering the game in the seventh inning, as a defensive replacement for Orioles starting catcher, Gus Triandos, Zupo singled to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, getting the hit off Yankees reliever, Bob Grim.  This was Zupo only hit during the 1957 season.

 

As the season was winding down, on September 18, Zupo got his first start of the year.  In the Orioles' 7 - 5 loss to the White Sox, Zupo caught all nine innings of the game.  He had three plate appearances during the game, and got no hits on two official at bats.  Zupo did walk with one out in the 7th inning and came around and scored the Orioles' third run on pinch hitter Bob Boyd's single. 

 

This was the last game Zupo played in during the 1957 season.  For the year, Zupo played in ten games,  batting .083, with one hit in 12 at bats, and he scored two runs with no home runs and no RBI.  He spent 26 innings catching and the Orioles won two and loss eight in the games that he played. 

 

During the 1958 season, Zupo played in the minor leagues for different Oriole affiliates, to get more seasoning.  He started the season with Knoxville Smokies of the South Atlantic League.  He also played parts of his season with Louisville Colonels of the American Association and the Wilson Tobs of the Carolina League.

 

Here is Zupo's minor league batting record from the 1958 season. 

Team	Games	At Bats	Runs	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
Knoxville	35	106	10	29	2	16	.274
Louisville	55	145	15	32	0	5	.221
Wilson	18	31	6	9	2	5	.290
Season Totals	108	282	31	70	4	26	.248

 

In September of the 1958 season, Zupo was back with the Orioles.  On September 13, in a game against the Tigers, he replaced Gus Triandos as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the 5th inning.  During that game, in two at bats, facing Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning both times, Zupo flied out to centerfield in the 7th inning and struck out in the 9th inning.  The Tigers won the game 13 - 2.  This was the only Major league game that Zupo appeared during the 1958 season.

 

Zupo 1959 season was spent in the minor leagues when he played with four different teams, all Oriole affiliates.  The teams he played for included: Stockton Ports of the California League, the Yakima Braves and Salem Senators of the Northwest League, and the Ashville Tourists of the South Atlantic League.

 

Here is Zupo's batting record from the 1959 season.  

Team	Games	At Bats	Runs	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
Stockton	43	103	22	20	2	10	.194
Yakima & Salem	25	69	11	15	2	5	.217
Ashville	7	16	-	3	-	-	.188
Season Totals	75	188	-	38	-	-	.202

Zupo's 1960 season was spent in Stockton, the Orioles' Class C affiliate, and a member of the California League.  This is his batting record from that year. 

 

Team	Games	At Bats	Runs	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
Stockton	106	364	52	116	7	69	.313

 

Then in 1961, Zupo was on the Orioles' roster as the season begin.  He played in the first game of the Orioles season, on April 11, as they opened against the expansion Angels, in their franchise's first game.  In the bottom of the 9th inning, with two outs, Zupo entered the game as a pinch hitter for Orioles relief pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm.  He was walked by Angel starter Eli Grba, who retired the Orioles next batter, Jackie Brandt, as Grba finished his complete game, an Angels 7 - 2 win.  First baseman Ted Kluszewski lead the Angels to victory with two home runs and five RBI.

The next game that Zupo appeared in was on April 16, when he entered the first game of a doubleheader against the Twins.  As a defensive replacement for Orioles starting catcher, Gus Triandos, he entered the lineup in the top of the 7th inning.  During the game, he had two at bats.  With two outs in the bottom of the 7th inning, Zupo doubled to left field off Twins starting pitcher, Pedro Ramos.  Orioles' next batter, shortstop Ronnie Hanson, doubled to left field, plating Zupo with the Orioles' 4th run of the game, and Zupo first run of the season.  Then in the 9th inning, in Zupo's second at bat of the game, facing Twins' reliever Ray Moore, he popped out to shortstop, as the Twins defeated the Orioles 10 - 5.

Zupo as played in the second game of the doubleheader that day.  He come into the game to catch in the top of the tenth inning.  In the top of the 11th inning, Twins' shortstop Zoilo Versalles hit a two-run home run as the Twins swept the doubleheader with a 6 - 4 victory.  Zupo struck out leading off the bottom of the 11th inning as Twins reliever Charlie Stubbs retired the Orioles in order to earn his first save of the season.

On April 24, in a game against the Indians, Zupo entered the lineup in the top of the 8th inning as a defensive replacement for catcher, Gus Triandos.   In the bottom of the 8th inning, off Indians' starting pitcher Jim Perry, Zupo singled to left field, lifting his batting average for the season to .500.  The Indians won the game 5 - 1 aided by Bubba Phillips' 6th inning grand slam home run.

On May 9, Zupo caught the 9th inning of the Orioles' 13 - 5 victory over the Twins.  At age 21, Zupo's had appeared in his last Major league game.  In the 1961 season for the Orioles, Zupo played in five games, batting .500 (2 hits in 4 at bats) with a double and scoring one run. 

For the remainder of the 1961 season, Zupo played with the two minor league Oriole affiliates, the Rochester Red Wings of the International League and Victoria/Ardmore Rosebuds of the of the Texas League.     

Here is Zupo's minor league record from 1961.

Team	Games	At Bats	Runs	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
Rochester	40	107	12	22	0	8	.206
Victoria/Ardmore	29	67	7	22	1	9	.328
Season Totals	69	174	19	44	1	17	.253

In 1962, Zupo played for the Austin Senators of the Texas League, a Braves' AA affiliate and he also returned to Knoxville and played for the Smokies, now a single A affiliate of the Tigers.

Here is his batting record from the 1962 season.

Team	Games	At Bats	Runs	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
Austin	26	75	6	19	0	6	.253
Knoxville	9	18	0	2	0	0	.111
Season Totals	35	93	6	21	0	6	.225

Zupo spend the 1963 and 1964 seasons in the minor leagues.  In 1963, he played for the York White Roses of the Eastern League, the Tigers' AA affiliate, and in 1964 he played for the Dallas Rangers of the Pacific Coast League, the Athletics' AAA affiliate.

Here is his batting record from those two seasons.

Team	Games	At Bats	Runs	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
1963
York	89	284	27	77	3	41	.271
1964
Dallas	106	297	27	76	6	30	.256

At the end of the 1964 season, at age 24, Zupo had played his last professional baseball game.  After his baseball career, Zupo held many different jobs including a fishing guide, business owner, and wholesale leather proprietor.

During his Major league career, Zupo appeared in 16 games with a batting average of .167 (three hits in 18 at bats) scoring three runs, with a double and no home runs or RBI.  Zupo caught a total of 38 innings in 13 games.  When asked if he had any regrets, Zupo response was "Not really.  I wish I have had a better chance to play."     

    

Other bloggers have published articles about Frank Zupo's Topps 1958 card. 

 

I found a 2011 blog from The Shlabotnik Report commenting about the card. 

 

The Shlabotnik Report blog on Frank Zupo

 

 

Also the Really Bad Baseball Cards blog mentioned the card in this Unibrow (50s Version) post from April 2014.

 

Really Bad Baseball Cards Unibrow 50s Version